The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-28
TUMULT In A COURTROOM
"MEIN GoTTl MEM HEAD VAS CUT
OFF ALREADY YETI"
The Redoubtab!e Gustavus BlasB Sailed
Into by an lrate Female Witness and
Her Faithful Husband Painful Throat
ana Scalp Wounds.

ana Scalp Wounds.
The monotony of the duh November
days is broken. A tragedy in court Yes,
a real live tragedy in open court. The
dramatis pelsonie need no further intro
duction to the thirs;ing public than the
bare announcement of their names, which
are Mr. Guslayus Blass, Mrs. Sallio Stilker
alias Game Brake sal, aud Mr.. James
Stilker, her husband, the same who, with
Ella Moore, the mulatto courlcsan Of Mr.
Blass have been playinga star engage
mcnt to a conglomeratc mass Of larger hui
mainly before Squire Iluphey, in his new
ly rented and deliberately furnished hall
quondam Solomon quiet little Mccall
street, for the past two days.
Those who have read the court notes IN
TuE ArPEAL since Thanksgiving day can
easily recall how ba-eiy Ella Moore in
suited Mrs Sullic Siiikcr on the WcdnCs-
day before, and with what injured iUdig-
nation she bctook herself TO the presence
OF the genial squire and demanded that
her vile sanderer bc put under bonds 70
Keep the peace OF the state Of Tennessee;
and then how the ariul Blass, to save his
mulatlo mistress from harm, went TO in.
dignant Mrs Stilkcr, and, after offer
ing her 500 to not prosecute his mis-
trcss on being refused belaborcd her
with curses, and he, too, fell vic
tim TO peace warrant and
ills untold Mt the hands Of the iratc war
rant procurcr; for the next thing he knew
the relentless hand Of the law laid it,
Prppy fingers on both hc and his Ella and
snatched them before tho same tribunal on
the ugly charge Oi headings lie ui noio-
rious lewdncss. All this, it will be- rcmcm-
bered, beiell them NJ the hands OF the
woman they had cured. Further than
this. she swure Ia dance the "PcIyinC,' as
manaclod they walked from the court TO
the Jail, there to await the vengeance Of u
higher tribunal upon their niamy. Act
lively she went TO work, employed able
counsel 10 prOSecu q the vile incubi on the
body Of society, and had witnesses, white
and black, blythe scorpsummuncd tocorrob-
crate the damning facts which she herself
would detail in sulstantialion OF the
charges she had made. But BlHss was
busy. too, preparing io wash the foul calum.
mics from his spoticss ~ cscutchcon.
Learned counsel was engaged, and host
call. day intervcncd-l Thanksgiving
but II is hardly expected that either sid,
spent il in eating turkey, or Joyous mpui
mont. Rather is il Ia BE- presumed that il
was spent in "husling.' judged
from thc array Of witnesses which clam
bercd at the door OF Justice the mex
morning. Court WAS duly opened. III,
Blackstmlians took their seats at the -quar'
pine table. The squire was rcdolcnt will
flaming humor, for he knows a good thinl
when lac secs it. The witnesses wcr
sworn no, only one division. The cour
seeing that all OF them could not be wedge,
into the narrow room, ceased 10 swca
the witnesses, called a halt on the pro
coedings, went two doors west, rented
hall 2OXlOO feet, went back and move,
justice and all her attendants into IL IN,
thc swcarngin Of witnesses was resumed
Mrs. striker took the stand, and Oh, how
lcwdly vile she painted the defendants
Her statements were fully corDbumted b,
her husband and long Tine oi other Wit
ncsscs Friday wop almost away m,
the lawyers got into wangb, over lcgl
question. Court was adjourned a. SaiuI
day morning. The case was rcsumc
eaIly, aud the witnesses got through
with on either side 10y noon. An hour va
taken lur refreshments, after which Ia
court rcasscmhlcd Al the day, AMI, Il
fact, throughout the whole tfial. there hil
been an immense crowd In the COURTROOM
aud large numbers In front Of the doc
who eagerly sought, but were denied ld
milianrc.
Tie next thing in orler WIS the argll
meni VI counsels. Two had spoken an
the third, Attorney Geo. Elliott WIS nal
ing the dlapidaled beer signs ON the wa
dance with his burning clOlucncc, whc
The trngrdy came. II WIS supreme in6
men, in the history Of the court. hut n,
near ~ much ~ M In the lie OF GUSTAV
Blnss. When Elliotts clomcncu had -
trinccd the audience, AMI all eyes an
can were fixed upon linn, thcr1 WIS
shrek ~ horror: 'Oh, mCin Colt. mel
bcadt yas rut OH" Al eyes turned. y,
ben icc' from the court Wa u Wild dcmoI
incal woman, with drawn knife in h0
hand. closely seconded by her hushan,
She had cut u mnn's throat, and with ~
other EwoOr. she s.g,hCd a cash aiiTJ
his glisicniug bald head. twas Sail
Stilker, aud her Nictin was the rcduuli
able Gusiayus Blafs. Oiall the wild seem
heard rad OF or seen, thissgrpU -eUd ihui
Husband and wife were ias.. cl1eii
~ ON iNtr Ni'lim 10 death.
wis screaming "murlci' Ever
body screamed, rushed, lell agaiu
and knocked each other lell ~,
ont 81 the house on 10 The street only q
deputy shcrills and the court kept Oh,
heads, and seized the furious woman %
her foolish husband. BIAS, WIS O ,ro''t1cl
piiiahlc and amusing. lie could not
convinced that lac VA anything bu' fatal
stabbed But while tho dcputic- lr'd :
D. the mailman and his wife, I. Was quirl,
psccriaincd that, although Blns bad !
ceivcd slash about four inches lo
on the right side Of his neck aud nnoth
sbout two inches long squan.ly IN Il
back oi his head the wounds ven ou
skin deep, and, aside from bleeding free
were in no ways vital. Blass WIS 20
Icconcilcd, aud, after having n haudk,
chief bound around his meek. stayed
thc scene. Order was partially rustUp
Siilkor and his wife wen fined so ca
for contempt 81 couri, and bound over
the sum 81 a. 900 each 10 The Crimii
court. IN default Of which they wrnt
fail. Tho ease against Bass viii Ice c.im
this morning.
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